Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Yes, I certainly have. I know that I've been absent here...terribly busy days...but just so you'll know, I do get around. See What Matters Most, Hospitality Lane, and Creekside Cottage for proof. Each blogger has a little different take. Personally, I think Becky and Deanna are loony and Lovella's right behind. (Poor Anneliese) = D All good fun and the most wonderful thing of all is that Mennonite Girls Can Cook cookbooks sold out at the Berean. It's a good thing and a God thing!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain
beat upon your head with
silver liquid drops. Let the
rain sing you a lullaby.

~Langston Hughes

A rainy day here in my corner. I had hoped to share my new fence, but there's nothing spectacular about a new fence in the rain, though it did mean getting kissed by silver liquid. There is something interesting, if not spectacular, about textures in the rain. So I give you a simple mosaic on a simple rainy day.

Top photo: rain splatter in the ferns
Left to right: ferns (I wanted it to be a moth; It's only a bit of a brown leaf.), deck spindles, iron plant holder handle, new growth on Eastern Spruce

A cooler week, if that's what you need; a wetter week, if that's what you need; a wonderful week either way...

Gloria Gaither's comments at the beginning of this selection are the reason for this video's being chosen. Lynda Randle's voice is a blessing, too. (Please forgive the mess while this post was under construction.)

Saturday, August 6, 2011

A few months ago I read an article about insomnia. The author contended that something as simple as bedding and sheets could be the problem. Right then and there I decided to invest in some quality sheets, which I interpreted to be something with a higher than 400 thread count.

Big mistake. I wish the lesson hadn't been so expensive. I purchased something from ).(. P*enney's C*indy C*rawford line — awful things. Seems that those high count number sheets can be some of the most uncomfortable bedding one'll ever sleep on. It certainly has been our experience. If you're a fan of limp, overly soft sheets, the high count numbers are for you.

Then I began to hear echoes in Blogdom about crisp, white, cotton sheets available through the Vermont Country Store. Despite the fact that there's no free shipping, the sheets turned out to be about the same price as the ones I first purchased. They arrived yesterday and were washed and dryed (with a lavender sachet) and that bed was made up so fast... and easily, too. No wrestling with the fitted sheet because it was large enough to accomodate the high mattress. The packaging says it will fit a mattress up to 17 inches deep. (The C.C. fitted sheet was advertised for deep-pockets, but comes woefully short of its claim.)

The pillow cases (not part of the set) were embroidered this week. Apparently, the blog that offered the pattern has left Blogdom. Sigh. You can see the version I first saw *here* (source no longer exists) where the embroidery threads match. I chose yellow (my favorite color) and green (John's) because I have tons of embroidery floss that must be used. I refuse to buy any new colors. It's an idea that could easily be amended to your own handwriting or your own phrasing. I placed my embroidery further down the pillow so that it wouldn't be at cheek level.

***

Having just wakened from a good night's rest, I am giving these sheets an "A." I think with a few more washings they'll be an "A+." I'm off to sip my morning coffee, eat a cookie or two, and read the nice catalog the company sent me. Don't you love a good catalog? And just to be clear, Vermont Country Store has/had no clue that I was going to say all these nice things. ☺

Thursday, August 4, 2011

My goal for the Irish Linen is to create a State Flowers Quilt as seen at Vicki Haninger's blog Turkey Feathers. I've been gathering my free patterns and have done two of my own state flower. Let us not discuss what the Maine fathers were drinking thinking when they decided upon a white pine cone and tassel as the state flower. My first attempt was on muslin. I can't find it. Anywhere. So the second attempt is on a scrap of the Irish linen turning out as you see below—unironed and unwashed to remove the embroidery pencil lines. It's destined to become a pillow.

I've already whipped up a quilt on my Photoscape program alternating between my embroidery and a piece of brown transferware for contrast. I am planning to embroider two five by five panels with each of the 50 state flowers featured. I'm unsure about actual size of each panel...perhaps 8x8 inches.

This will be my evening work through autumn and winter. To see what it really should look like, visit Turkey Feathers.

Just a reminder that the Ramsign contest closes tonight at seven. The winner will be revealed tomorrow!

ETA: Cleaning out some email when I discovered that my mother had sent me this Jacquie Lawson card called An American Sketchbook.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Good thing I'm writing this here blog for myself; otherwise, I'd quit. Pretty sure that everyone is at the beach!

Let's discuss a beech of another sort. My favorite tree, and I know that I've shared this before, is a tricolored beech. I shared it in autumn last year and so I wanted you to see it in summer.

Beech and Barn

It's called tricolor for the rose, green, and white of its leaves. Here, a closer look...

Pink Loveliness

Tricolored Beech Twig

As I was taking these photos the other day, I thought how pleasant an outdoor tea would be right under these branches. I'm planning one for tomorrow and you're invited, bring your imagination. By the way, do you have a favorite tree?﻿

Monday, August 1, 2011

Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance God and none can say why some fields will blossom while others lay brown beneath the August sun. ~Kent Nerburn

~welcome to August~

Often I do a Mosaic Dud on Monday afternoon or late morning as the case may be. Sometimes I'm so good lazy that I don't. =}

This week I have several. The one above? Not good enough and done just this morning. The one below — rejected on the basis of being too much the same-old, same-old.

The day lilies are all but gone. I'm pleased that they made it all the way through July as that is not often the case. Since there was a large space without color, I purchased, at a deep discount, a wave petunia basket to hang there. It's not as lovely as the ditch lilies by a long shot, but pleasant all the same.

X marks the same tree

What do you add to your garden to fill the empty places? You green thumbs gals must have some tips!

John and I both have big projects started today. He's working on the fence and I'm working on the Irish linen.

John on the line; Irish linen on the line

Guess that I have wandered around long enough... Wait! One more little project to show you that my daughter made.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

My goal today was to tidy up the tea cups so that I could actually have a cup of tea without pawing through everything to find the matching saucer. Then I had a little brainstrom wondering if I could find tea cups that matched flower photos I've taken this summer. My only success was with the astilbe and the rose. Other than that, it is hodge-podge all over the place.

It's back to sorting and matching and readjusting storage space for me...

No matter how fiery the trial, the main thing is that you and I remember the temperature is ultimately regulated by God's sovereignty. It's also important to understand that we don't suffer our trials in isolation; we are part of a flock that is lovingly tended by faithful shepherds. Finally, we need to know that no matter how formidable our adversary, the power of God is available to help us endure. ~ Chuck Swindoll

I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. You never saw Him, yet you love Him. You still don't see Him, yet you trust Him—with laughter and singing. I Peter 1:6–8 The Message

Saturday, July 30, 2011

So there's my mailbox sporting a Ramsign house number. (Bad, bad photoshopping.) I'm excited that I have a chance to win, too. How? By visiting A Delightsome Life where Kathy is also having a Ramsign Giveaway. She has done a great job telling more about the company and the product. Feel free to sign up here or there or here and there. I'm definitely signing up. As you can see, I would select Highlander as my favorite. Oh, here's a tip for you...not all of the thirty-three folks who have signed up are going to be included. Why? Not everyone let me know which style she would choose. That means that, currently, chances of winning are very good around here. (Oh, yes, I do believe in second chances so if you thought you had signed up, but kept your style a secret, feel free to slip back in there and reveal it.) You can find my post with all the details by clicking on the link at the top of my sidebar.

***

"Nonni, the best place to find kids' games is at PBS kids dot org." This as I fumbled about on my computer looking for something appropriate for Sam to play. I knew the day was coming when he'd know more than I; I just hadn't realized it would be so soon.

Sam even created an avatar and had great fun doing so. The resemblance between his avatar and himself is uncanny.

The blue hair and the blue eyes...oh yeah.

Our day with the grands ended at the top of the hill visiting our favorite ice cream stop. We munched our cones in silence watching the bulldozers destroy the woodlands and fields across the street. A casino is being built. Ugh. And they call this progress?

It's another beautiful day here. Hope the same can be said in your corner. Enjoy a marvelous weekend!

Edited to Add: If you can handle being sent in yet another direction, I have to share Sheila's story of receiving her Mennonite Girls Can Cook cookbook win from me. It is told on *this post* of her wonderful blog Starshine Through My Windows.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Hmmm, my life's work is a bit too large for me to think about this fine morning. I do, however, have something for us all to ponder thanks to a commenter who asks interesting questions. I think it was the most interesting question I've been asked in a very long time. Hold that thought.

***

Yesterday morning was glorious with humidity low and temps in the 70s. I had some blueberries that I wished to use up and so headed directly for Mennonite Girls Can Cook where I did no searching whatsover for there Betty's recipe sat waiting to be snagged. When Betty said that this was her favorite coffee cake, I took her at her word. It certainly is delicious. *Betty's Coffee Cake* has no blueberries; mine does. Good thing I took this picture early as there are about two pieces left.

My life's work yesterday consisted of finishing off the afghan. I worked on it steadily through much of the day finishing it after nine in the evening. Since I was in no frame of mind to quit and make supper, John went out to fetch some pizza. Oh my!

It was some good now let me tell you. He ordered fresh tomato slices, green pepper, onion, and pepperoni. He can do that again soon. Yum. Funny thing about this is that there are only two pieces left as well.

And this is the afghan. I asked John what he thought and he said, "too short." Well tough. I've used up all the yarn and I'm not going to go looking for that brand or those colors since the yarn's been around for years now. It'll make a good throw or a good cover-up for some bad furniture.

***

Have you been holding that thought? Good for you!

Sometimes the best conversations are going on behind the scenes in comments as I'm sure you know. Lorrie asked me this question in comments on yesterday's post: Have you found that thinking of fodder for your blog causes you to look at life differently?

Now I ask you, is that not a great question? I did respond, if you're interested, but I'm very interested to know what you think? Has your working at coming up with blog topics caused you to look at life differently?

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Four years ago? Really? Yes, it is true; I began blogging four years ago on this very date. Time does sail on by doesn't it? You'll howl to see what I thought was blog-worthy on *that first post.*

I had no intention of paying homage to my blogiversary until I was contacted by the good people at *RamSign* who would love to give one of my readers a beautiful house number set. How could I say no? How timely! How wonderful!

This is what RamSign is offering: One house number sign (not name signs or address plaques). There are signs available from 1 digit and up to 5 digits and with five different styles: Metropolitan, Highlander, Arrowhead, Lighthouse or Engelhardt. Just check out a style that you would enjoy. (Don't mention a number as that will be settled when you win.)

What do you have to do to qualify? Nothing more than leave a comment here about which sign you would enjoy having. That's it. Feel free to comment about it on your blog just because you want to help me out, but it's not required. Feel free to follow me yadda...yadda...yadda, but it's not required. Let's keep it easy-peasy. Blogging as it should be.

feel free to snag (if you'd like) and link back to this post

This delightful giveaway is open to all readers wherever you may be. Shipping is free, courtesy of RamSign.

A drawing will be held a week and one day from now—August 4, 2011. Comments will close at 7 p.m. on that date. A winner will be announced August 5, 2011.